Ranking the top 20 Seattle Seahawks for 2014

<p><big><b>Honorable mention: Kevin Williams</b></big><br/>Defensive tackle | 12th NFL season | Age: 33</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 15 games (15 starts), 29 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 interception, 5 passes defended</p>
<p>Williams doesn't get a ranking because he just joined the team, signing as a free agent after 11 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. But his track record since his 2003 NFL debut speaks for itself: five years as a first-team All-Pro and six years in the Pro Bowl. Welcome to Seattle, big guy!</p> less

<p><big><b>20. Byron Maxwell</b></big><br/>Cornerback | Fourth NFL season | Age: 26</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (5 starts), 28 tackles, 4 interceptions, 14 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles</p>
<p>When Brandon Browner was suspended and injured, Maxwell jumped into the open cornerback spot in Seattle's Legion of Boom and quickly allayed concerns about Seattle's depth in the defensive backfield. An important piece of the Seahawks' success in their run to the Super Bowl, he should be a strong presence in the 2014 secondary.</p> less

<p><big><b>19. Jeremy Lane</b></big><br/>Cornerback | Third NFL season | Age: 23</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (no starts), 29 tackles, 4 passes defended, 2 kick returns for 47 yards</p>
<p>Lane provides adequate depth to the Legion of Boom, but he excelled in 2013 with his role as a gunner on special teams. Lane often was the first defender to the ball on punts and kickoffs, spoiling many an opportunity for opposing returners.</p> less

<p><big><b>18. Jon Ryan</b></big><br/>Punter | Seventh NFL season | Age: 32</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games, 74 punts, 3,159 yards, 42.7 average yards per punt</p>
<p>Ryan is a dependable and skilled punter, usually able to boot the ball as far away as needed. One of his punts traveled 69 yards last season, tied for the eighth-longest of the year. He's also exceptionally gifted at directional punts, often preventing returns entirely with his accuracy and hangtime. Largely unsung and unnoticed as a specialist, Ryan also serves as Steven Hauschka's holder.</p> less

<p><big><b>17. Russell Okung</b></big><br/>Left tackle | Fifth NFL season | Age: 26</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 8 games (8 starts), 441 snaps, 2 sacks allowed, 9 QB hurries allowed</p>
<p>Okung missed half of the 2013 regular season with a toe injury, and his contribution to the team was obvious once he was absent from Seattle's offensive line. While he may not be among the best left tackles in the league, he has been an integral piece of the Seahawks' success.</p> less

<p><big><b>16. Jermaine Kearse</b></big><br/>Wide receiver | Third NFL season | Age: 24</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 15 games (5 starts), 4 touchdowns, 22 receptions (346 yards), 13 kick returns (283 yards)</p>
<p>Go back and watch highlights from last season, and you'll be amazed how many big plays Kearse made. Undrafted in 2012 out of the University of Washington, he had a breakout year in 2013, including the eventual game-winning touchdowns at Carolina in Week 1 and in the NFC Championship Game. And don't forget <a href="http://www.seahawks.com/videos-photos/videos/Super-Bowl-XLVIII-Cant-Miss-Play-Seattle-Seahawks-wide-receiver-Jermaine-Kearse-the-pinball-machine/0b31759b-9494-4f31-a10b-a8264d7ecf48">his breathtaking score</a> in Super Bowl XLVIII.</p> less

<p><big><b>15. Zach Miller</b></big><br/>Tight end | Eighth NFL season | Age: 28</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 14 games (12 starts), 5 touchdowns, 33 receptions (387 yards)</p>
<p>Miller is a strong receiver, contributing five touchdowns during the 2013 regular season. But often overlooked are his in-line blocking skills. He earned positive blocking grades from Pro Football Focus nearly all of last season, paving the way for Marshawn Lynch and allowing just one sack and five QB hurries as a blocker.</p> less

<p><big><b>14. Steven Hauschka</b></big><br/>Place kicker | Seventh NFL season | Age: 29</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games, 35 field goals (33 attempts), 44 extra points (44 attempts)</p>
<p>As the kicker, Hauschka led Seattle in scoring with 143 points in 2013. He is so dependable, fans usually just assume he'll send it through the uprights -- and he improved his range last season. But Hauschka should also be commended for his selflessness, suggesting to Pete Carroll during the NFC title game that Seattle should go for it on a key fourth down, resulting in the go-ahead touchdown from Russell Wilson to Jermaine Kearse.</p> less

<p><big><b>12. K.J. Wright</b></big><br/>Outside linebacker | Fourth NFL season | Age: 24</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 13 games (13 starts), 80 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 4 passes defended</p>
<p>Not many teams had a better linebacking corps than the Seahawks in 2013, and Wright was a big reason why. A master at pass coverage and improving against the run throughout the season, he even shined as a middle LB -- the quarterback of the defense -- when Bobby Wagner was injured.</p> less

<p><big><b>11. Cliff Avril</b></big><br/>Defensive end | Seventh NFL season | Age: 28</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 15 games (2 starts), 25 tackles, 8 sacks, 7 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles</p>
<p>Avril did not disappoint in his first season with the Seahawks. In fact, he was second on the team with eight sacks in 2013 (behind Michael Bennet's 8.5) and gave trouble to opposing quarterbacks all year. His best performance came in the Super Bowl, when he had six QB hurries, including his role in Peyton Manning's interception to Malcolm Smith.</p> less

<p><big><b>10. Doug Baldwin</b></big><br/>Wide receiver | Fourth NFL season | Age: 25</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (9 starts), 5 touchdowns, 50 receptions (778 yards), 2 kick returns (57 yards)</p>
<p>Baldwin could be ranked higher, but there are so many great players on the Seahawks. He had numerous breathtaking plays in 2013, including several when he miraculously kept his feet in-bounds on sideline snags. Baldwin always seems to be open downfield, and should be a key target for Russell Wilson in 2014.</p> less

<p><big><b>9. Percy Harvin</b></big><br/>Wide receiver | Sixth NFL season | Age: 26</p>
<p><b>2013 stats (incl. playoffs):</b> 3 games, 1 TD, 4 rec. (43 yards), 2 carries (45 yards), 2 kick returns (145 yards)</p>
<p>Out most of the season after hip surgery, Harvin was astounding when he did play, proving to the world during Super Bowl XLVIII that he was still the dynamic athlete he was in Minnesota before Seattle traded for him last offseason. Assuming he stays healthy in 2014, he could be the Seahawks' best offensive weapon as a receiver, rusher and kick-returner.</p> less

<p><big><b>8. Kam Chancellor</b></big><br/>Strong safety | Fifth NFL season | Age: 26</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (16 starts), 134 tackles, 3 interceptions, 12 passes defended, 1 forced fumble</p>
<p>The big bruiser of the Legion of Boom, Chancellor continued delivering huge hits throughout 2013 and figures to do so again in 2014. He added two more picks in the postseason, capping off a spectacular year that landed him on the NFL Network's Top 100 list (at No. 65) and the second Pro Bowl of his career.</p> less

<p><big><b>7. Bobby Wagner</b></big><br/>Middle linebacker | Third NFL season | Age: 24</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 14 games (14 starts), 154 tackles, 5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 7 passes defended</p>
<p>One of the on-field leaders of Seattle's defense, Wagner proved himself as one of the best all-around linebackers in the NFL last season, though he didn't make the Pro Bowl. He missed just seven tackles all year, and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. The 2014 Seahawks are in good hands with Wagner at the top of the LB depth chart.</p> less

<p><big><b>6. Russell Wilson</b></big><br/>Quarterback | Third NFL season | Age: 25</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (16 starts), 3,357 pass yards (63.1 percentage), 27 TDs (26 passing), 9 interceptions</p>
<p>We know what you're thinking: "What? Wilson is only No. 6?" Indeed, as we already mentioned, there are a lot of great Seahawks. Wilson is the de-facto face of the franchise, and the offense may run through him, but we're not blind -- he is not a god. To the naked eye, Wilson struggled through much of the middle of the 2013 season, rebounding in time for the playoffs. Recently ranked the <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/2014/07/03/seahawks-russell-wilson-earl-thomas-marshawn-lynch-ranked-among-nfls-top-20-players/">20th best player in the NFL</a>, Wilson barely misses our top five, but is obviously key to Seattle's success in 2014.</p> less

<p><big><b>5. Michael Bennett</b></big><br/>Defensive end | Sixth NFL season | Age: 28</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (3 starts), 31 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 1 TD (on a fumble)</p>
<p>Bennett went from a little-known pass-rusher with Tampa Bay to a superstar in 2013 with the Seahawks. He had a knack for bringing down opposing quarterbacks, penetrating into the backfield on run plays and for punching the ball out, resulting in four forced fumbles. His season likely is best remembered for his pick-six against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints in their divisional playoff.</p> less

<p><big><b>4. Marshawn Lynch</b></big><br/>Running back | Eighth NFL season | Age: 28</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (16 starts), 14 TDs (2 receiving), 301 carries (1,257 yards), 36 receptions (316 yards)</p>
<p>We on the seattlepi.com sports desk had a lot of discussion about where to rank Lynch, the centerpiece of Seattle's offense. While he had another career season in 2013, his numbers did drop slightly from the previous season, and at his age he is at risk of further decline. So, despite his NFL-leading 12 rushing TDs last season, we're ranking Beast Mode fourth for 2014.</p> less

<p><big><b>3. Brandon Mebane</b></big><br/>Defensive tackle | Eighth NFL season | Age: 29</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (16 starts), 45 tackles, 1 pass defended, 26 QB hurries, no sacks</p>
<p>CBS Sports' Pete Prisco <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/2014/06/27/who-are-the-most-overrated-and-underrated-seahawks/">just called Mebane</a> the most underrated player in the NFL, and we agree. The 320-pound lineman had no sacks in 2013, but that's a misleading stat: Mebane's job is stuffing the run and opening pass-rush lanes, and we're not sure anyone does it better. He was a huge reason Seattle's defense was historically great last season.</p> less

<p><big><b>2. Richard Sherman</b></big><br/>Cornerback | Fourth NFL season | Age: 26</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (16 starts), 48 tackles, 8 interceptions (1 TD), 18 passes defended</p>
<p>Sherman may be the best corner in the game, but we think he's the second-best player on the Seahawks. We all know he had a breakout year in 2013, not just on the field but also off, leading the NFL in interceptions and in inflammatory postgame interviews. What sets Sherman apart is his performance in the clutch, including his game-busting pick-six in Houston and his instant-classic tip-away against the rival 49ers in the NFC title game that sent the Seahawks to Super Bowl XLVIII.</p> less

<p><big><b>1. Earl Thomas</b></big><br/>Free safety | Fifth NFL season | Age: 25</p>
<p><b>2013 stats:</b> 16 games (16 starts), 105 tackles, 5 interceptions, 11 passes defended, 2 forced fumbles</p>
<p>We don't know of a single NFLer who plays with as much intensity and ferocity as Thomas. When the three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro first-teamer takes the field, he is out for blood. In 2013, Thomas could be seen all over the field, coming up with big stops week after week after week. We think he's the best player on the best secondary in the league, and is hence our best player of the 2014 Seahawks.</p> less

It all got us thinking: Who is the best player on the Seattle Seahawks?

In the gallery above, we’ve ranked our top 20 Seahawks for the upcoming 2014 season. We don’t expect all of you to agree with our rankings, so we’d encourage you to add your comments below.

And since we have the technology, we thought it would be interesting to see how you, the readers, would rank the Seahawks in terms of performance and skill. In the poll below, vote for your top five Seahawks players, and we’ll see who rises to the top. (We added some names so that you’re not limited to our top 20 choices.)